April 2008

April 30, 2008

Today I'm going to give you ideas that I consider useful. And I'm going to do my best to make this presentation engaging, thought provoking, and entertaining.

In return, please give me your attention. Your expressions reflect your interest. And your interest guides me in choosing what I say and how I say it. It also inspires me to take risks and encourages me to do well.

April 29, 2008

I just received a phone call about a new (and very disturbing) service.

This company offers a complete marketing system, which includes good things such as mail distribution, e-mail management, and newsletter development.

But here's the bad part: They will write all of the articles for you.

That means someone (like anyone) can pretend to be an expert without knowing anything.

Experts publish articles to demonstrate knowledge, wisdom, and expertise. At least, that's why I post five blogs each week, publish a monthly newsletter, and write articles for magazines. I want to provide a sample of how I think and what I know.

And that's just the beginning.

Writing is more than a marketing process. It's an essential part of being a knowledge expert.

It's the thinking process that makes someone an expert.

That is, writing expands one's knowledge and understanding of a topic. Then the expert demonstrates that knowledge by writing.

So, the next time you call a consultant, ask if that person actually wrote the books, articles, and newsletters.

If not, I recommend that you call someone else.

Key Point: Make sure that you work with a real expert instead of someone who pretends to be one.

April 18, 2008

They are always busy fixing things, repeating tasks, and making apologies.

Why?

They put their efforts after the fact. Rather than before.

That is, they react to what happened, rather than prepare for what will happen.

Consider a meeting.

With preparation, the meeting begins with an achievable goal and a realistic agenda. Without these, the meeting is destined to produce little.

With preparation, the participants arrive with the knowledge, resources, and tools necessary to complete the work in the meeting. Without these, they ask questions, make comments, and attempt solutions that waste time.

With preparation, a meeting moves business into the future with workable solutions and sustainable decisions.

Without preparation, a meeting keeps business stuck in the past with the original problems plus complications that arose from having wasted time.

April 17, 2008

On one hand, here is someone who is an executive working for a real (as in large) company.

And on the other hand, here is someone who misses appointments and won't return calls.

This happens too often.

For example, I have driven out to appointments to meet with an executive only to find that the executive was out of the office. And yes, this has even happened after I phoned that morning to confirm the appointment.

I have made phone calls at specific times requested by executives (e.g., "Call me on Monday at ten.") only to get an answer system. And then my phone messages were ignored.

The quick excuse is that they're busy.

Well, everyone is busy. I'm busy too. And I still honor appointments. I still return phone messages. I still treat others with respect.

So, please tell me, how do these executives keep their jobs? That is, would you keep someone on your staff who was this rude? This inconsiderate? This irresponsible?

This matters because these executives represent their companies. And that tells a lot about their values, their operation, and their culture.